How justified is hill palace?

The Palace mania of the previous government is shocking. When government utilises public money on projects, it has to be cautious. It is too shocking to see the YSRCP government replacing the revenue-generating resorts with some palatial buildings which are difficult to put to public use and constructing palace like party offices on prime government lands across State. - Dhanuya Sahu, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant employee, Visakhapatnam

There was no need to destroy Rushikonda and construct luxurious houses for former CM Jagan on Rushikonda. It is shameful that still all the YSRCP leaders are trying to defend the previous government. - P Ravi Kumar, businessman, Guntur city 

Rushikonda palace is a challenge for the alliance government. While finding out ways and means to utilise it meaningfully, they need to punish the people’s representatives and all officials who cooperated with these leaders in violating laws and rules and destroyed the natural hill to satisfy their political bosses. It is sheer violation of law and misuse of public money. The former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had no fear of existing laws and its enforcement mechanism and exploited public money for his lavish life. He spoiled the uniqueness of Rushikonda. In the last five years, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had shown no concern for poor people or development of the State. He treated politics as business and a commercial activity. - S Sreelaxmi, private school worker, Srikakulam

It is a big and difficult task for the alliance government to convert the Rs 500 crore Rushikonda project into something viable. It is apparent that such a posh palace is not meant for the tourism purpose and it is quite clear that it was built to suit the personal requirements of the former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. No wonder, the Rushikonda project was kept so discreet and inaccessible to the public representatives. The new government should consider steps to convert this into a revenue-generating project even if it means investing furthermore. - P Srinu, a resident of Gajuwaka, Visakhapatnam

The YSRCP government wasted public money and constructed a camp office for the former CM. The YSRCP government had no heart to fill even potholes on roads during last five years and did nothing in terms of industries or job creation. But it has wasted Rs 500 crore of public money. NDA government in the State has two tasks ahead. One to utilise the Rushikonda project for revenue generating purpose and to punish all those including officials who allowed such destruction of nature and wastage of public money. The State Assembly should discuss this issue and make all documents public and expose how permissions were manipulated. - M Naga Sai, lecturer in private junior college, Guntur

Political leaders in our country feel they are bosses of the people not servants. Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy took such a feeling to the next level and thought he would never get defeated and resorted to all kinds of violations. It is criminal, unethical and shameful to destroy Rushikonda and construct such a huge palace for his personal use. It shows his negligent and arrogant attitude towards people’s welfare and protection of public money. Stringent action should be taken against him and if required bylaws should be amended. They cannot be above law. We should not accept such people’s representatives as leaders of the poor and common men. - S Malleswar, petty vendor, Srikakulam